Make the change to a healthier landscape now!

Piedmont Connect’s Fall FRONT Garden Tour and Related Events

Piedmont Connect’s Healthy Landscapes Fall Front Garden Tour begins Saturday, Sept. 25 and continues through Sunday, Oct. 3. During this period, Piedmonters can get sidewalk views of 14 selected front gardens featuring an array of drought-tolerant and native plant landscapes in neighborhoods throughout the City, from Baja to St. James Wood and from Moraga Ave. to Boulevard Way.

Check out www.piedmontconnect.org for a map [or see below] of the street addresses, plus photos and complete descriptions of the front gardens explaining what, when, why and how the gardens were transformed from lawns or ivy patches into healthier landscapes.

Additionally, join Piedmont Connect for two related events during the week of the garden tour: On Wednesday, Sept 29 at 10:30 a.m., join Dick Carter’s Wednesday Walkers group for a guided tour of some of the gardens on the Fall Front Garden Tour. A special guest from Piedmont Connect will discuss the significant features of the gardens on Dick’s customized walking route. Meet at the Piedmont Exedra to participate in this free Wednesday Walkers’ walking tour.

On Thursday, Sept. 30, from 7 to 8:15 p.m., Piedmont Connect, with City of Piedmont technical assistance, will host a Zoom event “Living With Drought”. Join the live webinar via the link at www.piedmontconnect.org. “Living With Drought” will be moderated by dynamic Piedmont resident and water expert Eileen White, following an introduction by Piedmont Parks Manager Nancy Kent. Our Water Our World’s Suzanne Bontempo will give helpful outdoor water-saving techniques.

For the finale, three Piedmont residents whose gardens are featured on the Fall Front Garden Tour will inspire viewers with their garden transformations, explaining how they use the latest research to sustain healthy ecosystems and maintain chemical-free, water-efficient oases that support a diversity of wildlife. There will be time for viewer questions and answers following the presentations.

For residents wanting to reduce water use, limit garden maintenance work, adapt to climate changes, build drought resiliency, and attract beneficial life to the garden, fall is the time of year when planting is recommended. Hoped-for (and likelier) winter rains help young or relocated plants to establish new root systems naturally, without supplemental water. Cooler temperatures also impede a few common plant pathogens to which some young plants are susceptible.

Make the change to a healthier landscape now!

By Hope Salzer and Marjorie Blackwell, Piedmont Connect

>Healthy Garden Tour Map

> Descriptions and photos of gardens

>CONNECT garden tour 2021

Drivers Need to be Aware Bicyclists May Not Stop at Stop Signs-

Biking organizations, including the California Bicycle Coalition, have successfully urged the legislature to legalize rolling stops for bikes. In August, the California Assembly voted 53 to 11 in favor of A.B. 122, making it legal for bicycle riders to treat stop signs as yield signs.   The Senate approved it August 30 on a bipartisan 31-5 vote.  The Governor has until mid October to sign the bill. 

75 organizations supported the law, with opposition more limited only by the California Highway Patrolmen’s Association and the California Coalition for Children’s Health.

Steve Barrow, program director for the California Coalition for Children’s Health and Safety, told The Coast News that they are strongly opposed to the bill and are urging voters against it.

“We have 500 people killed on bicycle crashes every year in California and we have several thousand that end up in the hospital with severe head injuries,” Barrow said. “The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Insurance Institute and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Injury Center, they’ve all done studies on what happened when those people died in a bicycle crash, and a third of them literally were killed when the bicycle rider failed to yield at an intersection.”

Read the complete article here.

Barrow added that for children, the risk is higher because portions of their brains that control their decision-making and impulse control are not yet fully developed.

Idaho, Oregon, Washington, Delaware, and several other states have legalized the bicycle rolling stop.  Cyclists are permitted to treat a stop sign as a yield sign

Read the text of the bill AB 122 here.

Current New York City Bike Rules:

• Ride in the street, not on the sidewalks (unless rider is age 12 or younger and the bicycle’s wheels are less than 26 inches in diameter).
• Ride with traffic, not against it.
• Stop at red lights and stop signs. Obey all traffic signals, signs and pavement markings, and exercise due care to avoid colliding with pedestrians, motor vehicles or other cyclists. At red lights, wait for the green light and/or the bike or pedestrian signal.
• Go with the walk, unless there’s a bike signal or sign, cross the intersection when the pedestrian signal shows the “walk”.
• Use marked bike lanes or paths when available, except when making turns or when it is unsafe to do so. If the road is too narrow for a bicycle and a car to travel safely side by side, you have the right to ride in the middle of the travel lane. Bicycling is permitted on all main and local streets throughout the City, even when no designated route exists.
• Use a white headlight and a red taillight, as well as a bell or horn and reflectors.

Read complete New York City Bike Safety here

SCHOOLS, RECREATION, BUILDING RENOVATIONS, CITY MASTER PLAN, PUBLIC SAFETY AND MORE –

On Thursday, September 23. 2021 at 4:00 p.m.. the Piedmont Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee will meet via Zoom to consider a recommendation to the Piedmont City Council on how to spend $2,663,729, Piedmont’s COVID funds. 

To participate and view the meeting see the Agenda link below.

Of the $2,663,729 allocated to the City, $2,382,545 is tied to lost revenue and can be used in category 3 which, as noted in the full staff report linked below, may be used for any governmental services, including infrastructure projects. The remaining $281,183 must be used in accordance with the provisions of the other four categories.

STAFF RECOMMENDATION:

By motion, recommend that the City Council allocate the City’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds as proposed by staff:

A. Devote lost revenue funds to address urgent facilities projects, prioritized as follows:

1. Dispatch Center Relocation\Remodel

2. Initiation of Master Planning Process for the Future of Police, Fire and City Hall

3. City Hall Basement: Digitization of Residential Property Files and Remodel Office Space

3. Fire Department Living Quarters Renovation 3. Recreation Department Building Renovation

B. Devote the remaining more restricted funds as follows:

1. Cover the City’s direct COVID related expenses incurred after March 3, 2021

2. Provide premium pay to Recreation Department personnel who were exposed on a daily basis to critical health risks while interacting with the public due to the nature of their jobs

3. Provide COVID-19 specific support to the Piedmont Unified School District by providing funding toward a temporary full-time school nurse to assist PUSD in its COVID-19 response. Such resource would be available to support the City’s Recreation Department COVID response needs as well.

AGENDA >2021-09-23 Budget Advisory and Financial Planning Committee Agenda

READ  FULL STAFF REPORT >2021-09-23 ARPA Funding Direction – BAFPC

 Piedmont Unified School School District Board Meeting

Tuesday, September 22nd, 2021 – 7:00 pm PUSD District Office Board Room

– Join Zoom Webinar 760 Magnolia Ave., Piedmont, CA 94611  Click on notice below for full details on participation and backup information.

 The Board of Education will discuss and may take action on the following items. Public comment will be invited before action is taken.

● Second Reading, Revised Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5141.31 – Immunizations – Read full background.

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 09-2021-22 – Temporary Borrowing from the Alameda County Treasury Department

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 10-2021-22 – Annual Public Hearing on Sufficiency of Instructional Materials

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 11-2021-22 – Assignment Outside of Credentialed Area

● Approve Substitute Teacher Rate of Pay Increase – Read full background.

● Conduct Public Hearing on First Reading of 2021-22 Contract Openers between the District and the Association of Piedmont Teachers (APT) – Read full background.

● Conduct Public Hearing on Second Reading of the 2021-22 Contract Openers between the District and the California School Employees Association (CSEA) – Read full background.

● Approve and Adopt Resolution 12-2021-22 – Declaration of Surplus Property

This summary is provided for the community’s information and convenience. Read the full agenda and instructions for joining the meeting webinar below:

> What’s Coming Up – 9-22-21.docx

Complete Agenda > https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/SB_Meetings/ViewMeeting.aspx?S=36030373&MID=8386

Piedmont Unified School District Board Meeting Summary – September 14,  2021

Enrollment in schools throughout California has been on the decline, including in Piedmont. 

For the 2021-2022 School year under the current policies 41 approved Interdistrict transfer students enrolled in TK -5th grade and 12 approved Interdistrict transfer students enrolled in 6th -11th grade as of 8/37/21. Interdistrict transfers are students enrolled in Piedmont schools who originate from another school district.

In order to mitigate the loss of what could be considerable funding for our
schools, District staff recommended that the Interdistrict transfer policy be revised:

1. Permit the option of accepting the Interdistrict transfers of students at all grade
   levels.
2.  Allow for more flexibility in accepting the Interdistrict transfers of families whose grandparents reside in Piedmont.
3.  Reflect language that adheres to recent changes in the Education Code.

Highlights of the Current Interdistrict Transfer Policy :

1. The Superintendent or designee may approve interdistrict transfer requests when
   capacity within the District exists. Students whose requests are denied solely
   because of lack of capacity within the District will be placed on a waiting list, and
   their application will be considered if space becomes available.

The decision to admit out-of-District students is discretionary, when capacity
exists; applications may be approved based on the following priorities:
1. Parents Constructing or Remodeling a Home
2. High School Juniors and Seniors Who Have Moved Out of the District
3. Children of Piedmont Unified School District Employees
4. Children of the City of Piedmont Government Employees
5. Children of the Piedmont Educational Foundation Director
6. Children Residing on Calvert Court
7. Residences on Approved Piedmont Split Parcel Properties
8. GrandParent – Grandchild of an Individual(s) Who Lives Within the
Boundaries of PUSD

9.Approved Split Parcels with Oakland and Adjoining Minor Piedmont Parcel

10. Other Applicants

Outdoor Masking:

Superintendent Booker reviewed the District’s requirements regarding outdoor masking. At its last meeting, the Health & Safety Steering Committee was asked if there was an ‘off-ramp’ where the District could consider rolling back or eliminating the outdoor requirement. Discussion centered around that being outdoors is not a cure for COVID – aerosol transmission is still possible. Suggestion was made to wait until Alameda County falls to below five cases per 100,000 residents (currently at 13.5) before considering any changes to requirements.

Vaccinations:

The Committee will be asked if the rules should be different for vaccinated vs. unvaccinated students at its next meeting on September 29th.

As of September 13th, 83% of families had responded that 74% of eligible students  were fully vaccinated.

Revised Board Policy and Administrative Regulation 5141.31 – Immunizations

– Revised policy would add the COVID vaccination to the existing list of
vaccinations required for enrollment in PUSD. All age-eligible students would be required to show proof of vaccination or submit a medical exemption and be tested weekly. Questions to be answered before Board approval would be: what dates should be chosen as deadlines to show proof of vaccinations, how much time should students be given to become vaccinated once becoming age-eligible, and should the mandate be for students 12 and older, or 16 and older to fall under FDA approval for the Pfizer vaccine? Board will discuss and take possible action at its September 22nd meeting.

Next Regular School Board Meeting – Wednesday, September 22nd, 7 pm

Piedmont Water Saving & Drought Education Events in September

by Hope Salzer and Marjorie Blackwell, Piedmont Connect

In the face of California’s current, severe drought, Piedmont Connect is hosting two events focused on saving outdoor water.  First, from Saturday, Sept. 25 through Sunday, Oct. 3, Connect will sponsor a self-guided tour of Piedmont front gardens that include drought-tolerant and native plants.

SELF-GUIDED TOUR SEPT. 25 – OCT. 3: Participating gardens will be announced at the Piedmont Harvest Festival on Sunday, Sept. 19.  Maps and garden descriptions will be available at:

www.piedmontconnect.org.

On Thursday, Sept. 30, Connect and the City of Piedmont will host a virtual event, “Living with Drought,” from 7 to 8:15 p.m. The event will feature a speaker from Our Water Our World explaining techniques for outdoor water conservation, as well as presentations from Piedmont residents who have transformed their landscapes to reduce water use, replenish groundwater, enhance our local biosphere and eliminate fossil fuel emissions. To learn more about water reduction options, get new ideas, ask questions, and explore methods used by other Piedmont residents, access the link for the Zoom event at www.piedmontconnect.org.  A link to access an event recording will be available after the event.

According to a 2019 Public Policy Institute of California report, 50% of California’s residential water is used for landscaping, primarily for water-intensive lawns. In order to meet Gov. Gavin Newsom’s drought declaration goal of reducing household water use by 15 percent, the report states that “in urban areas, the greatest potential for further water savings lies in long-term reductions in landscape irrigation– a shift requiring changes in plantings and watering habits.”

A number of Piedmont residents are heeding the Governor’s call by curtailing sprinklers and letting their lawns turn a tawny-gold. Some are augmenting their landscapes with California native flora that need little water, are deep-rooted to impede erosion and sequester carbon, are disease-resistant, and harbor an array of life forms.

A trip around Piedmont also reveals that residents are beginning to discover the wide variety of native grasses suitable to our geographic setting. These include grasses that flourish in sandy/loamy soil, and others adapted to heavier clay, as well as grasses that prefer full sun and those adapted to shade or dappled light.  Some grasses grow around East Bay native oaks, and others can be mowed to mimic a conventional lawn or grown with native, annual herbaceous flowers and/or low perennial flowering shrubs to approximate a meadow setting.  If native grasses are allowed to flower, resident and migratory birds will feed on the seedheads later in the year and/or collect stems for nesting material.  There are also options for planting low-maintenance native groundcovers that support moths and butterflies, prevent soil erosion, and are fire-resistant.

Piedmonters are invited to take the self-guided tour to view these example gardens where residents have curtailed outdoor water use and then to learn more from garden experts and residents at the “Living with  Drought” Zoom event on Sept 30th.

Visit www.piedmontconnect.org for more details about these events and to find more water-saving and drought adaptation tips.

On Tuesday, September 13th, the City began the process of draining the 154,000 gallons of water out of the main pool. Check out the video to see the progress and to hear more about the Piedmont Community Pool project.  The speaker is John Tulloch, City Clerk. 

Click on the arrow below to see the Piedmont Community Pool being drained, thus ending the water leakage. 

Planning Commission Makes Recommendation to City Council Regarding Use of Measure A-1 Funding –

“(Our community) needs time to understand and explore what this means… Development is more successful with community support behind it.” 

On September 13, 2021, the Planning Commission recommended that the City Council direct staff to continue developing an affordable housing program using Piedmont’s share of Alameda County Measure A-1 funding. The Commission supported the three-step approach for the funds recommended by the Planning Commission’s Ad-Hoc Subcommittee on Measure A-1.

The Commission recommended the City Council explore ways to: 1) Establish a Piedmont Affordable Housing Fund; 2) Launch a low-interest loan program for affordable housing, such as scattered site single-family homes, ADUs and JADUs, conversion of commercial land, small houses, and shared housing; and 3) Preserve $2.2 million in funding in the form of a low-interest loan for the development of an affordable housing development of up to 40 housing units on ½ to 1 acre of land in Piedmont.

The reason behind the Commission’s recommendation of a sequential use of the Measure A-1 funds, first for the low-interest loan program that then transitions for use towards a traditional multifamily development as the loans are repaid, is that the County’s timeline does not allow for the time necessary to successfully identify and analyze a site for a multifamily project and carryout robust community engagement for the General Plan amendments and zoning ordinance revisions that would be necessary to attract a developer.

Planning Commission Chair Rani Batra stated, “(Our community) needs time to understand and explore what this means… Development is more successful with community support behind it.”

Commissioner Tom Ramsey stated, “All of us support a traditional affordable housing development… Where we have discussion is how we get there.”

In making its recommendation, the Planning Commission determined that the development of a multifamily affordable housing project on City-owned land would have a greater chance of attracting a developer and gaining entitlement once the City had completed its update to the Housing Element, the related zoning code revisions and environmental review. That process is not expected to be completed within the constraints of the County’s timeline for receipt of Measure A-1 funds.

The City Council’s receipt of the recommendation for the approach for the use of the funds has not been scheduled but is expected to occur in October or November.

During the meeting, the Planning Commission heard comments from eleven community members. Many urged the Commission to recommend that the City Council approve the 2023- 2031 Housing Element update and associated changes by November 2022 so that the Measure A1 funding could be used towards the development of affordable housing in Piedmont within the faster timeline requirements set forth by Alameda County.

In 2016, Alameda County residents voted to adopt Measure A-1, a $580 million property tax revenue bond for affordable housing. The City of Piedmont is allocated $2.2 million in Measure 2 A-1 funding in the form of a low-interest (3%) loan program administered by the Alameda County Department of Housing and Community Development (County HCD). Piedmont’s Measure A-1 allocation must be used for the development of affordable rental housing or site acquisition.

State requirements have challenged City officials to find sites and policies to promote the construction of 587 new houses and apartments by 2031. Earlier this year the City Council engaged the services of Lisa Wise Consulting to assist the City in preparing a Housing Element update that facilitates the production of this allocation of housing units, and the services of Rincon Consulting to perform the related environmental review required by the California Environmental Quality Act.

At 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, September 29th, the Piedmont Planning Commission and Housing Advisory Committee will hold a joint study session about the basic requirements for Housing Element updates in California.

Senior City Planner Pierce Macdonald-Powell

For more information and project updates, please visit the City of Piedmont’s web site at http://piedmont.ca.gov

Compost Giveaway
Saturday, September 18, 2021
9 am – 12 pm
Piedmont Corporation Yard
898 Red Rock Road, Piedmont, CA

The City of Piedmont, in partnership with Republic Services, is holding a free compost giveaway for residents in advance of the Harvest Festival at the City’s Corporation Yard (898 Red Rock Road) on Saturday, September 18, 2021 from 9 am to 12 pm. All Piedmont households can pick up to two cubic-yards of compost while supplies last. Preorders are not available. Bring shovels, gloves, containers, and proof of residency (driver’s license or current Republic Services bill) to pick up compost. Residents must bag and load the compost themselves. Residents are strongly encouraged to wear masks or face coverings and follow the Alameda County Public Health Department’s COVID-19 guidance. While not required, it is strongly suggested encouraged to fill out the form here to indicate your estimated pick-up time Saturday.

The compost is made from yard trimmings and food waste collected from Republic Services communities participating in curbside organics collection services. Close the loop by using the finished compost, made locally. Mixing compost with your soil adds nutrients to the soil, aids in water retention and pest control, and helps plants thrive! Learn more about the benefits and uses of compost here.

Sign up for email notifications or visit the City’s news and notifications page for postings of giveaway events. For more information, contact Sustainability Program Manager, Alyssa Dykman.

More information on COMPOST –

SB 1383

Short-lived Climate Pollutants: Organic Waste Reductions

What is SB 1383?

In September 2016, Governor Brown signed Senate Bill 1383 into law. SB 1383 establishes methane reduction targets as part of a larger strategy to combat climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The law establishes a mandated target to achieve a 75% reduction in statewide disposal of organic waste by 2025 and requires the state to increase edible food recovery by 20% for human consumption by 2025. To achieve these targets, the California Department of Resources, Recycling, and Recovery (CalRecycle) developed a series of rules for all cities and counties throughout California to implement. The regulations were finalized by CalRecycle in November 2020 and take effect on January 1, 2022.

Why is SB 1383 important?

The state is experiencing the effects of a climate crisis – extreme droughts, increasing number of wildfires, warmer temperatures, and rising sea levels. As a response to the crisis, California has committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, particularly those most potent and are short-lived. Methane is such an example. Methane gas is a potent climate pollutant that is released when organic waste, which includes surplus edible food, food scraps, food soiled paper and yard waste, decomposes in a landfill. It is 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide and degrades in the atmosphere in approximately 12 years. About 20 percent of statewide methane emissions comes from landfills. In an effort to cut methane emissions, SB 1383 sets targets to reduce organic waste.

What does SB 1383 mean for me?

SB 1383 requires everyone in California to recycle organic waste, including paper, cardboard, yard materials, food scraps, and food-soiled paper.

Requirements for Residents: Residents must subscribe to and participate in the City’s recycling and organic waste curbside collection services or self-haul to a recycling or composting facility. The City’s franchise waste hauler, Republic Services, provides trash, recycling, and organic containers to customers for weekly waste collection. Collection service for recyclables and organics is unlimited in volume and provided at no additional cost. Additional or larger carts for recyclables and organics can be ordered by contacting Republic Services at (800)320-8077. Residents that elect to self-haul waste generated at the premises directly to a disposal or processing facility holding all applicable permits to accept the materials. Any resident desiring to do so as a means to satisfying the City’s proposer waste disposal obligation under Municipal Code Section 9.03.010 must obtain a self-hauling permit. The rules for self-haul permits are covered under Municipal Code Section 9.03.060.

Requirements for Businesses: Businesses are required to follow certain rules regarding waste sorting, collection, and education. These rules also apply to: all organization; nonprofits; and all multi-family properties with 5 or more units. Businesses must subscribe to and participate in the City’s recycling and organic waste curbside collection services or self-haul to a recycling or composting facility. The City’s franchise waste hauler, Republic Services, provides trash, recycling, and organic containers to customers for weekly waste collection. Additional or larger carts for recyclables and organics can be ordered by contacting Republic Services at (800)320-8077. Businesses that elect to self-haul waste generated at the premises directly to a disposal or processing facility holding all applicable permits to accept the materials. Any business desiring to do so as a means to satisfying the City’s proposer waste disposal obligation under Municipal Code Section 9.03.010 must obtain a self-hauling permit. The rules for self-haul permits are covered under Municipal Code Section 9.03.060. Businesses must ensure they have adequate access to recycling and organics recycling services for their employees, contractors, customers, and tenants, including supplying and allowing access to an adequate number, size, and location of bins either clearly labeled or the appropriate color (i.e., green for organic waste, blue for recycling, and grey for solid waste). Any new waste bin purchased on or after January 1, 022 must either have the correct colors or labeling. Businesses also must periodically inspect recycling and organic waste bins for contamination and remind employees about proper sorting.  Businesses must provide information to employees, contractors, tenants, and customers about waste diversion requirements and the proper sorting of waste annually. Businesses will also need to provide new residential and commercial tenants with information on how to properly sort waste within 2 weeks of occupation and thereafter on an annual basis. StopWaste provides annual outreach to all business and will create materials to satisfy some of the requirements.

Exemption: Businesses that meet the De Minimis or Physical Space criteria can be exempted from some of the SB 1383 requirements. Businesses will be able to apply for SB 1383 De Minimis and Physical Space waivers. Multi-family properties will only be able to apply for Physical Space waivers. The City may waive certain requirements if a business provides documentation or has evidence demonstrating the following:

1. De Minimis Waiver
   • Business generates two cubic yards or more of waste per week (trash, recycling, and organics) and the organic material subject to recycling or compost generated is less than20 gallons per week per applicable container OR
   • Business generates less than two cubic yards or more of waste per week (trash, recycling, and organics) and the organic material subject to recycling or compost generated is less than 10 gallons per week per applicable container.
   • The City must verify the generation meets the waiver thresholds. If the City receives information at any time of generation above threshold, the jurisdiction shall the rescind waiver.
2. Physical Space Waiver
   • The commercial business or property owner provides documentation or the City has evidence from its staff, hauler, licensed architect, or licensed engineer demonstrating that the premises lack adequate space for any of the container configurations allowed.

How is Piedmont preparing for SB 1383?

Fortunately for Piedmont, we are already well on our way toward compliance with SB 1383 since Piedmont has had mandatory organics waste collection service since 2008. Nonetheless, there are other requirements of SB 1383 that will be implemented.

23rd Annual Harvest Festival